Sous Vide Pork Chops

Share Tweet Pin Yummly Sous Vide Pork Chops – The most tender, juicy, and flavorful ever! They are fool-proof and come out perfect every single time. Pork chops get a bad rap, but they are one of our favorite proteins to have. It really is in how you cook them. 10 years ago the FDA updated the recommended cooking temperature for pork, and opened up a whole new world for pork. Before that, pork was dry, tough, and not really that enjoyable. Now that you cook them to 145º they are tender, juicy and delicious! And when you cook them sous vide, it is even better! Those extra thick pork chops at the store are perfect for this. If you don’t know what Sous Vide cooking is, it literally translates to “Under Vacuum” Basically you vacuum seal you food and then it cooks in a water bath, with a device that circulates the water to the desired temperature. This not only seals in all the juices, but it means you get the exact temperature you want every time. How To Cook Sous Vide Pork Chops Season the pork well on both sides. Here you can get very creative or go basic. Salt and Pepper are a must, but you can include smashed cloves of garlic and sprigs of rosemary or other herbs in your bag. Place the pork chops inside your plastic bag and if using a vacuum sealer, seal the bag. If you do not have a vacuum sealer, you can use a zip top bag that you seal almost all the way. Slowly add the bag to the water bath until just below the top is submerged. Then seal the rest of the bag to ensure most of the air is out. Submerge the bag of pork chops in a water bath that is set to your desired temperature. I always set ours to 145º After 60-90 minutes remove from the water and place the pork chops on a paper towel lined plate. Pat the them dry. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering you know it is hot enough. Carefully place the chops in the pan and cook for about 30-45 seconds a side, until it is nicely browned. Remove from the pan and serve. What Temperature Should I Sous Vide Pork Chops? The short answer is I cook at 145º. This is the temperature recommended by the FDA to cook to, so that is what I set my sous vide at. The long answer, technically because of the way the meat is cooked in a sous vide bath it is safe to eat at a lesser temp. The way the FDA determines if something is safe, is if it reaches a temperature for a certain amount of time. So pork technically is 145º with a 3 minute rest. So it reaches that temperature for at least 1 second, and then you rest for 3 minutes and it is safe to eat. But when you cook sous vide, the meat is cooked evenly, and not from the outside in. So it stays at the temperature for a longer period of time, so it can kill off the bacteria and still be safe to eat even at a lower temperature. But mentally getting past eating pink pork is tough, and not something I want to do. But here is a handy little chart if you are curious. Can You Cook Frozen Pork Chops Sous Vide? Yes, you absolutely can. Just like when you do Sous Vide Steak, I like to add an extra 45 minutes to the cook time. This works really well if you season and prep your pork chops then place them in your vacuum sealed bag to freezer. That way you can just take them out of the freezer and place them directly in the water. How Long Does It Take To Sous Vide Pork Chops? In general it takes about an hour. I tend to leave by in for 75-90 minutes when I buy the extra thick pork chops. But thinner ones (1 inch or under) will be ready in 60 minutes. Do I Need To Brine Pork Chops To Sous Vide? Nope, this is completely unnecessary when you are cooking sous vide. A brine is meant to add moisture to your meat and allow it to stay tender and juicy when you cook it. Because of how you cook in sous vide, vacuumed sealed in a bag, you are keeping all of the moisture on the meat at all times. When you remove the pork chops from the bag after they have cooked, there will be juices left in the bag. But those were surrounding the meat the entire time it was cooking. So although brining won’t hurt anything, it will not actually improve your pork chops either. Sous Vide Tips Sear the pork chops after it comes out of the sous vide bath to give it that great taste and texture you are used to with steak. To ensure you get a good sear, you need to pat them dry with paper towels. This is technically called a “Maillard Reaction”. It is the chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor Make sure the oil is hot when you go to sear the meat. The pork chops are already cooked to the desired temp, so the longer it sits in the pan the more done it gets. To minimize the time in the pan, it should be hot and the oil should be shimmering before you add it to the pan. There is no need to allow your meat to rest when you cook sous vide. Because of how it cooks, all of the juices are already evenly distributed in the meat. So as soon as you sear you can serve. If you don’t have a lid for your sous vide bath, you can use a cookie sheet or pot lid. Covering the water bath means you lose less water while cooking, so you won’t have to worry about adding more. You also won’t lose as much heat as your food cooks. What To Serve With Sous Vide Pork Chops Air Fryer Baked Potato Broccoli Rice Casserole Green Beans with Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts I use the Joule by Breville Sous Vide, and I highly recommend it. It works very well, the temperature is accurate and it is reliable. I have used 2 others in the past few years that have not lasted. More Pork Dinner Recipes Sous Vide Pork Loin Pork Lo Mein Oven Baked Pork Chops Crispy Pork Cutlet Smothered Pork Chops Smoked Pork Butt Grilled Pork Tenderloin Continue to Content I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make! Connect with Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts! Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post! Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram  Author Recent Posts Share Tweet Pin Yummly OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE: Stay ConnectedSignup for all the new recipes to be sent to your inbox on Saturday morning! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!